Thursday, January 27, 2011

cutting away to find nostalgia.

Due to an opportunity that has come up for me and my work, waiting to announce until it is confirmed, I discovered the work of Molly Bosley...

Initially my interest was peeked by her embroidery but as I perused her website they quickly become secondary as her cut paper works are AMAZING.

Her technique of layering the silhouettes adds so much depth to the work...

and her more sculptural dioramas breathe a wonderful life into them. Kind of how when Kara Walker's work is lit.

Molly says this about her work:

There is a tangible presence of hands in my artwork... It contains the imprint of the instrument that crafted it. There is an awareness of the connection to humans and the mementos they possess. I want to create an art that is arresting, yet familiar, like a memento you find tucked away in between the pages of an old book. In an effort to harmonize my media with my message, I construct work out of the detritus of American culture, the little things that slip away into junk stores, attics, or trash bins...The process is instinctive in choosing the images but structured, layered and designed so the different elements harmonize to produce an artwork that is wholey nostalgic.

I love the moment in her statement when she sayes how a memento found in an old book is both arresting, yet familiar. As someone who loves those little discoveries and is quite inspired by them myself I found those words quite poignant and poetic. And her work very much manages to strike that balance.